Look Again To Find The Gifts.

Matthew 14:26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

One crisp fall morning, a gentle breeze sent leaves scuttling down the street, turning lazy somersaults. It was a perfect, peaceful day to go hiking in the nearby hills. I set out, my faithful dog by my side. It wasn’t long before the peace of the morning was broken by what I saw ahead of me on the trail: a big snake sprawled across my path! I let out a cry of surprise and quickly retreated. I expected that the snake would slither away. It didn’t. It didn’t move at all!

From a safe distance, I took another good look at the snake. I laughed out loud as I realized that the snake was actually a small branch from a nearby tree. There was no danger.

Our brains are designed to unconsciously search for threats. But our brains can trick us, like mine did, when I saw the branch. That’s what happened when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the lake. At first glance, they thought he was a ghost. They had to look again, to see the amazing truth that was before them! Sometimes, the challenges we face appear as threats. But if we take the time to look again, we can see the gifts, even in the turmoil or chaos at hand.

What is in your life today that upon first glance, appears frightening? What might you see if you took another look? The disciples took another look and saw Jesus. What will you see?